Do House Flies Bite?
“Close that door! You’re letting all the flies in!” If you could get a dollar for every time that phrase was used, you’d be a millionaire. Yes, if you’re keeping the door wide open long enough, house flies will land. House flies are a pain in the rear, and dragging them to be swatted to death is not your idea of a good way to spend your time. The worst is when you’re cooking and you suddenly have 5 houseflies crawling around for a taste test. Houseflies love the smell of food. House flies are flying insects, which means you would naturally expect them to bite. Sure, some kinds of flies bite, but do house flies bite?
Start from the Beginning
To have a good understanding of the fact that house flies do not bite, we need to start from the beginning. This is the gross part. House flies start out as eggs, like most insects do and they lay up to 100 eggs at a time. Those eggs hatch, and then you have a maggot. A white, legless squirmy insect that is wiggling around like crazy. Maggots equal decay. Anytime you see them, they are eating away at a dead animal or spoiled food thrown out or left out too long. House flies will always be attracted to trash, and is where house flies will lay the majority of their eggs. These flies do provide for the greater good because of their eggs. While it may be disgusting to think about, egg-hatching maggots can assist with healing in humans or animals. Depending on the circumstance, some medical professionals have placed maggots into open wounds to allow them to eat away at the infection so the healing process can begin. House fly maggots do not bite in this stage either. They use the mouth part to suck up whatever it is they are eating. After the maggots have eaten and are full of decay, the young house flies skin forms into a casing that will house it while it continues to grow. Maggots stay in the case for about 25 days and break free into an adult house fly with wings.
Life Cycle of House Flies
Do House Flies Bite in Their Short Life?
House flies grace the world of adulthood with the time clock ticking. The days of an adult house fly are numbered to roughly 25 days, with a few resilient ones living up to 2 months. That’s a short life, and even shorter when they are smashed with a fly swat. House flies have no way to bite you because of their unique make-up. The mouth of a house fly is like a straw; it’s spongy and is used to suck up food. When they land on food or drinks, they will vomit saliva to immediately break down food, making it into a liquid so it can easily be consumed. Even their taste buds are not in the mouth but on the feet of house flies. While they don’t bite if one lands on you when landing on your food, it isn’t appetizing. House flies spend a lot of time on animal feces, dead animals, and rotten food. Every time they land to taste something with their feet, they pick up viruses and bacteria. When landing on food, they transfer this to your food, which could leave you running for the bathroom. That’s not fun for anyone. House flies are worse in the spring and summer months, especially when it is extremely hot. They are hyperactive during this time, so that makes picnics, tailgating, and many other outdoor events where food is involved difficult. It’s nearly impossible to keep them from swarming and landing on all your food. Luckily, they are not active in the winter and cooler weather, if they are even still alive by then. Some do survive the winter but do not reproduce as much and seek shelter near warm areas.
Do House Flies Bite or Is It Mistaken Identity
Greenhead Flies & Sand Flies
Do house flies bite? No way! Others do, and you might be mistaking one for the other. Many people know the feeling of being bitten by a fly. One minute you’re enjoying the sun and sand at New Jersey’s finest beach, and the next minute you’re swatting away a fly that keeps landing on you. Every time it lands, you feel the pain, and it totally ruins your day. You notice that these flies have big green eyes and are known as greenhead flies. They are more like a horse fly so bigger than a house fly but a type of fly all the same. Another beach bumming fly is sand flies, they are smaller than a house fly but do bite.
Greenhead Flies Bite
Stable Flies Bite
Stable Flies & Black Flies
Have a farm? Notice all the flies on the cows and horses? Those are stable flies, and they pack a biting punch too. They are highly attracted to blood from farm animals but aren’t too picky because they tend to bite people too. Stable flies look almost identical to house flies, except house flies don’t bite, and if you’re close enough to notice they have a slight color difference to set them apart. There is another fly who comes in a close second to looking like house flies. Black flies are smaller than stable flies and house flies and like to swarm in a group. They bite too and tend to love biting animals and people. Watch out for these little flies because their bites can transfer diseases to make you sick.
Take Charge of House Flies
Next time you find yourself chasing a fly around your kitchen and wondering “Do house flies bite?”, slow down to see if you notice some distinct differences. House flies do not bite and are the most likely type of fly to sneak inside through the doors and windows. If you’re planning a day outdoors in New Jersey, be prepared to encounter house flies as well as other types of flies. They come in all forms.
If house flies are becoming a bigger problem and you can’t get them to stay away, action must be taken. Don’t risk getting sick from house flies landing on your food and drinks; take action by calling Kapture Pest Control. Kapture takes your house fly concerns seriously and will develop a plan to treat and catch them before they make it into your home. Look forward to enjoying the days when you can freely leave a door or window open to feel the fresh air. Stop the worry of being bitten since house flies don’t bite, but be cautious of them spreading illness by protecting your space. Kapture Pest Control is a phone call away with all the solutions you need.
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